Doctor Who's Carole Ann Ford has story idea for Susan’s return

"I’m just wondering how far that would go, where [The Doctor] would be in the TARDIS if I wanted to communicate with him telepathically," Ford told us.

"And I thought, maybe it would be that [Susan] had some incurable disease that only he, with all his knowledge, and travelling around in foreign parts and extra-terrestrial parts, would have been able to cure.

"And if I reached out to him and said, 'Grandfather, I really need you because I’m dying,' and he probably could whip up some concoction to cure her and they might stay together or not, who knows?"

While Ford made comebacks to the show for the 20th anniversary special, The Five Doctors, and the charity special, Dimensions in Time, it's been years since she returned to the show, and she's keen to work with a modern Doctor.

"I would love to have been re-instated when Jodie [Whittaker] was on, it would have been marvellous working with her," she pointed out. "I’d love to meet her. That would have been doable, I think. But I can’t imagine myself saying, 'Grandmother!'"

Responding to RadioTimes.com's recent poll, which saw her win 43% of the vote, Ford said: "That's amazing, I'm absolutely flabbergasted. I'm very honoured!"

Speaking about why people resonate with the character of Susan, she added: "The idea of her, what I was told after I got the part, was she would be the eyes and ears of the young people watching it, that her reaction would be the perceived reactions of them, so, therefore, they would probably identify with her."

As for whether she would be open to returning? "Are you kidding?! Do you really have to ask? I'd love to be in it as it is now! I'd love to experience all the money they spend on it now – it's done like a film! I would adore to be in it now."

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